SEMA eNews Vol. 13, No. 38, September 23, 2010

Majority of Tire Buyers at the SEMA Show Represent Top of the Industry Class

Every year the SEMA Show draws more tire buyers. In 2009, tire and wheel buyers comprised the second-largest category of total buyers at the Show.

At the 2009 SEMA Show, nearly 10% of total buyers were specifically tire and wheel buyers. That was the second-largest buyer category of Show attendees. And that percentage has been rising. In 2005, just 7% of all buyers were tire/wheel buyers, and that number has climbed gradually every year since.

Tires have a broader appeal at the SEMA Show than just endemic segment buyers. More than 9,800 buyers in all categories noted that they were interested specifically in wheels and tires, while nearly 20,000 buyers cited an overall interest in tire- and wheel-related products.

Aside from tire and wheel dealers, the strongest interest in tires came from tire wholesalers and WDs, performance retailers, auto parts retailers—who were also the most interested in tire and wheel products debuting in the New Products Showcase—and restoration businesses.

But the core tire dealers are the story here, and they represent the top of the tire-buying influence and decision-making, as determined by the trade media covering the industry. Nearly 60 of Modern Tire Dealer magazine’s Top 100 Dealers came to the 2009 SEMA Show as buyers. Likewise, of the tire chains that made Tire Business’ list of Top 100 chains, 66 came to the 2009 SEMA Show looking to buy.